(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and a method for launching an aeronautical vehicle, and in particular, to a system and a method for launching an unmanned aeronautical vehicle from a submerged launching platform.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Over the years, a variety of schemes for deploying missiles from beneath the surface of the ocean have been developed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,158,062 to Feiler describes a launching tube for a missile, which launching tube is designed to protect the missile while it is being transported to its launch site. The Feiler launching tube is further designed to be anchored in an upright position so that the missile stored within can be launched vertically.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,586,421 illustrates yet another vertically oriented, underwater launch tube for a missile. The launch tube comprises an elongate outer container which is buried or partially buried in the sea bed in an upright position. The container uses devices at its bottom end for removing sand or silt and an auger for boring a hole in the sea bed or a rotary stirrer. The missile is housed within an inner container which is telescopically arranged within the outer container.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,092,222 to Lynch illustrates a float-up launching system for launching missiles from submerged submarines or other submerged launchers which utilizes a lightweight rigid cylindrical tube telescoped over the missile while stored in the launcher. On launching, the tube is extended forward of the missile by a gas generator to form a floatation chamber which creates extra buoyancy forward of the missile center of gravity. This lifts the missile nose upward to the water surface allowing ignition of the missile booster motors and launch of the missile.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,076,192 to Tegel et al. illustrates an unmanned submarine launching system which is guided to the surface of the water in order to launch an air rocket contained therein and which is provided in its walls with closeable openings for the discharge of the rocket recoil gases into the surrounding water to conduct the impinging recoil gases of a launched air rocket directly out of the submarine.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,854,260 to Woidich et al. illustrates a configuration in which bodies such as torpedoes can be held in an additional container inside a torpedo tube in a submarine. The container is in the manner of an interior tube. The annular space between the torpedo and its tube is used to hold damping elements, which are located individually or over the entire structure of the torpedo, and the annular space is kept free of water by means of sealing elements. Another damping element is positioned in the rear portion of the container in the torpedo tube.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,333 to Hagelberg et al. illustrates an undersea vehicle storage and ejection system which includes a capsule having a cavity for storing and launching a vehicle. The capsule has an opening at one end for passage of the vehicle therethrough. A closure member is adapted to be mated with the housing at the opening to seal the cavity. A rocket unit is incorporated within the capsule to remove the closure member at launch. The closure member includes a sealing arrangement for withstanding the hydrostatic pressure when the system is in the undersea environment of use and block the entry of sea water into the cavity. The rocket unit, when ignited, rapidly builds up pressure within the capsule to a level exceeding the external hydrostatic pressure on the cover, thereby removing the cover so that the vehicle may be launched.
Submarines have been previously provided with the capability of launching airborne vehicles such as Tomahawk missiles both through vertical launch via specialized launch tubes on the submarine and horizontal launch via the submarine's torpedo tubes. With both launch methods, the angle the missile breaks through the water surface is critical. One of the deficiencies of these systems is that the missile cannot be deployed without revealing the location of the launching submarine. Large missiles, such as the Tomahawk, are expensive because of the need to support a large warhead for deployment against hardened ground based targets.
Fixed air support missiles (FASM) have been developed for multiple missions. The fixed air support missile is a class of small missile which can be used against airborne targets such as helicopters, can be deployed to provide aerial surveillance, or can be used for ground support missions. These missiles are relatively small and cheap. They have not been deployed on submarines because of launching considerations.